Sixth Grade Parenting Unit

Egg Parents from the 2009 school year.

The sixth grade Family Consumer Science parenting unit focuses on childcare, and our guiding questions throughout the unit are as follows:

How do people's lives change as they prepare for parenting either through pregnancy or adoption? And,

• How do people's lives change once they have children?
• What are the challenges and joys of being a parent today?
• What is important to have in place in your life before you become a parent
• How do people know when they are ready to become parents?
• What is the relationship between the egg baby project and being "real" parents?
• What is the relationship between career, education and being a parent?

As you know, learning about parenting is a life long journey and preparing tomorrow's parents as they grow up is an awesome opportunity. We begin this unit with an experience particularly looked forward to by the students -- egg parenting. The student's own family becomes involved in the project by becoming grandparents, aunts and uncles. Students keep journals recording their experiences, thoughts and reflections as a parent. Students are asked to take their journals home at the end of the course to share with their parents. If the journals are stored in a safe place to be looked at years from now, I am sure they will enjoy reading about this experience they have had.

Following this experience, we prepare for guest speakers when students will have the chance to talk to people who are parents and/or work in professions dealing with children. We use this opportunity to explore careers, as well as to discuss parenting responsibilities with the people who have experienced it. The students decide who the guests will be, send out invitations, and prepare by developing questions. Many of our guests have included the students' own parents, teachers, and or friends of the family. In fact, during a previous year, Governor Dean was one of our guests. Our speakers have provided a wealth of experiences covering all facets of parenting and a great variety of careers. During the guest speakers' visits the students will process and reflect on the guiding questions for our unit thus promoting development of critical thinking skills.